PlayStation Plus Free Games March 2020

Compared to the generous offer this month, the freebies for March seem a little anticlimactic. Still, trophy hunters can enjoy two more platinums for their neverending trophy list, one of which is from a challenging yet satisfying game. And so, here is the line-up for PlayStation Plus free games March 2020, available for download on March 3.

First, thereā€™s Shadow of the Colossus, the action-adventure by Team Ico first released in 2005 for the PS2. The game was first revamped with trophy support for the PS3 in 2011, and again for the PS4 in early 2018. Taking place in a vast, unpopulated area known as Forbidden Land, the Wander is on a quest to revive a girl named Mono by defeating sixteen monolithic beings known as the colossi.

Next, thereā€™s Sonic Forces, the speed-filled platformer first released to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. This time Sonic is joining up with a resistance group in order to stop Doctor Eggman from completing his evil plan.

Both Shadow of the Colossus and Sonic Forces have Platinum trophies to unlock.

The Platinum for Shadow of the Colossus on the PS4 is arguably much easier than its PS3 version, especially for players who have already conquered this game on older consoles. With multiple playthroughs required, expect anywhere between 20-30 hours, depending on skills and experience. Ā 

The Platinum for Sonic Forces is of average difficulty and may take 25-30 hours, depending on skills.

Last Guardian Trophy Guide

The Last Guardian Trophy Guide. Difficulty: **  A third-person action adventure with puzzle and platforming elements. The Platinum is fairly average in both difficulty as well as time required.

Game Name Difficulty Trophies Developer Country Bronze Silver Gold Online DLC
Last Guardian ** 24 Team ICO / SIE Japan Studio Japan 9 7 7 0 0

The Last Guardian

The Last Guardian is a third-person action adventure with puzzle and platforming aspects, created by the same team behind Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. The game first began development by Team ICO with an intended release on the PlayStation 3, but suffered from delays before being taken over by SIE Japan Studios and released on the PlayStation 4. Players control an unnamed boy who co-operates with a large bird-like creature in order to navigate through each level.

Told as a flashback by an older man, the story involves a boy who awakens in an ancient castle, and meets a large, half-bird half-cat like creature called a Trico. After saving and befriending Trico, the two traverse through the castle ruins while evading the strange soldiers that lurk within.

The Last Guardian received mixed to positive reviews with an average score of 81%, praised for its story, visuals, the relationship between the boy and Trico, while both praised and criticized for Tricoā€™s realistic animal-like behavior, and criticized for poor control mechanics and camera angles.

The Platinum for The Last Guardian is both fairly average in terms of difficulty, as well as time required. At least two playthroughs are required, one of which is a speed-run, and perhaps a partial playthrough. The difficult aspect of the game isnā€™t actually the game itself, but the awkward mechanics and camera angles. Overall, the Platinum is far easier than Team ICOā€™s previous titles.

Expect around 22-26 hours for the Platinum.

Nearly all the trophies are missable, so if youā€™re in a rush for that Platinum and donā€™t care about spoilers, itā€™s a good idea to follow one of the walkthroughs under our Links tab. You should also check out the Last Guardian trophy guide links under our Links tab and get familiar with what you need to do.

The object here, is to get nearly all the trophies in one playthrough, with the exception of the speed-run related trophies, as well as both Dressed For The Fest and Beast Friends Forever trophies. You can also save the Untouchable Emissary trophy for your second playthrough, as well. Just focus on getting through the game, while finding all the collectibles, and fullfilling the other miscellaneous trophies.

Once thatā€™s finished, itā€™s time to do a New Game+ for a partial playthrough to collect both the Dressed For The Fest and Beast Friends Forever trophies. If youā€™ve found all 48 barrels in your initial playthrough, then youā€™ll need to find them all again for a total of 96 barrels. Youā€™ll need a total of 64 barrels in order to get all the boyā€™s costumes for the Dressed For The Fest trophy. You will also need a total of 96 barrels (all barrels in two playthroughs) in order to pain Tricoā€™s entire body for the Beast Friends Forever trophy. If you happen to miss a couple barrels, donā€™t worry. Thereā€™s still the speed-run playthrough where you can grab a few there, as well.

Finally, itā€™s time for your speed-run. Your ultimate goal here is to clear the game in under 5 hours for the Lightning Emissary trophy. Doing so will also unlock the Fleet Emissary for clearing in under 15 hours, and the Spry Emissary for clearing under 30 hours, if you havenā€™t gotten those trophies already.

Also, this is a good chance to go for the Untouchable Emissary trophy as well, for reaching the end of the game without a game over. The reason is because we recommend saving your game either to the PS+ Cloud or on a portable HD after each section, in case you die or take too long during any part of the game. Check out some of the Speed Run walkthrough videos under our Links tab if you need a demonstration.

IGN has a Walkthrough here:
https://www.ign.com/wikis/the-last-guardian/Walkthrough

And a detailed text-based Walkthrough by burqawitz:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps4/952634-the-last-guardian/faqs/74255

Here's a great Trophy Guide by smartbomb:
https://www.playstationtrophies.org/game/the-last-guardian/guide/

And BlindMango has a great Trophy Guide here:
https://psnprofiles.com/guide/5539-the-last-guardian-trophy-guide

A great Trophy Guide by Nerdburglars:
https://nerdburglars.net/trophyguide/the-last-guardian

And a useful Trophy Guide by PowerPyx:
http://www.powerpyx.com/the-last-guardian-trophy-guide-roadmap/

And Fexelfa has a useful Trophy Guide here:
https://fextralife.com/the-last-guardian-trophy-list-guide/

A Barrels and Trico Holes Locations Guide by smartbomb:
https://www.playstationtrophies.org/forum/the-last-guardian/310562-collar-lock-stock-barrel-100-barrel-trico-hole-locations-guide.html

A walkthrough for the All Talked Out trophy, by smartbomb:
https://www.playstationtrophies.org/forum/the-last-guardian/310564-all-talked-out-100-complete-hint-walkthrough.html

A video demonstration of the That Hits The Spot trophy by PowerPyx:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-6U_lXAQQc

And a video demonstration of the Balancing Barrels trophy by PowerPyx:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhkdMqV8Cvg

A Speed Run demonstration by JuddMan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-rGmBAKrcY

Finally, here's a basic Trophy List:
https://www.truetrophies.com/game/The-Last-Guardian/trophies

Shadow of the Colossus Trophy Guide PS4

Shadow of the Colossus Trophy Guide. Difficulty: ** Ā An action adventure and complete revamp of the original 2005 title first released on the PS2. The Platinum is a little easier than the PS3 version, mainly due to improved controls.

Game Name Difficulty Trophies Developer Country Bronze Silver Gold Online DLC
Shadow of the Colossus ** 38 Team Ico / Bluepoint Games Japan / U.S. 25 7 5 0 0

Shadow of the Colossus PS4

Shadow of the Colossus is an action adventure, first released on the PlayStation 2 in 2005, revamped with trophy support for the PlayStation 3 in September 2011 as part of The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection, and now a vastly improved remaster for the PlayStation 4. Players seek out and defeat various colossi by discovering their weak points and often using the environment to the player's advantage.

Taking place in a vast, unpopulated area known as Forbidden Land, the Wander is on a quest to revive a girl named Mono by defeating sixteen monolithic beings known as the colossi.

The original Shadow of the Colossus on the PlayStation 2 received critical acclaim with an average score of 92%, praised for its innovative style in both visuals and gameplay, music, and presentation.

Due to the complete revamp, which improved both controls and technical issues, the Platinum for the PS4 version of Shadow of the Colossus is easier than the first, particularly with the Hard Time Attack. Experienced players could obtain the Platinum in just four playthroughs, while those new to the game may require five to seven.

Expect between 20-35 hours, depending on previous experience.

NOTE: The trophies on the PS4 have a separate, and slightly different, list than those on the PS3.

If this is your first time to play, we recommend starting on Easy or Normal and just enjoy the game from start to finish. You'll unlock a number of trophies naturally during your playthrough, as well as get used to the mechanics of the game.

If you're an experienced player, then we recommend your first playthrough on Hard mode, to better prepare you for the Time Attack challenges later. This is also a good opportunity to go for the Speed Demon trophy, which requires Hard mode to be cleared in under 5 hours, 41 minutes, as well as the Last Man Standing trophy for completing the game without dying - just be sure to save often and reload if you die.

Next, it's time for the Time Attacks. Start a New Game+ and select Hard mode. Pray in front of the statues at the main shrine by pressing R2 to start the Time Attack. Doing so on Hard will reward you with special weapons or clothing which can be used during the later playthroughs, as well as the Queen's Sword for completing all 16 colossi.

Then, do the same on Normal mode. When you select New Game+, be sure to chose the same file where you saved your Time Attack on Hard. This way you can unlock the Speed King trophy, which requires obtaining all Time Attack items as a set.

After that, it's basically a matter of getting all the miscellaneous trophies. This should probably include maxing out the Wander's Health and Stamina bars for the Intrepid Mortal trophy, and can either be done by doing full playthroughs (if there are other trophies you still need) or repeatedly killing the first colossi and starting another New Game+ with the same file over and over. Farming the first colossi is perhaps quicker, if you don't need any more trophies for another playthrough. Be sure to check out the Shadow of the Colossus trophy guide links under our Links tab to see what you still need and their requirements.

IGN has a Walkthrough here:
https://www.ign.com/wikis/shadow-of-the-colossus-and-ico/Shadow_of_the_Colossus_Walkthrough

And a text-based Walkthrough by anarcho_selmiak:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps2/924364-shadow-of-the-colossus/faqs/68109

Here's a great Trophy Guide by Cage:
https://www.playstationtrophies.org/game/shadow-of-the-colossus-ps4/guide/

And PowerPyx has a useful Trophy Guide here:
http://www.powerpyx.com/shadow-of-the-colossus-ps4-remake-trophy-guide-roadmap/

And a great Trophy Guide by Necroadr:
https://psnprofiles.com/guide/7048-shadow-of-the-colossus-trophy-guide

And agoxen has a useful Trophy Guide here:
https://www.agoxen.com/shadow-of-the-colossus-trophy-guide-ps4/

And a useful Trophy Guide by Chandler Wood:
https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2018/02/06/shadow-of-the-colossus-ps4-trophy-guide-how-to-beat-all-colossi-trophies-and-collectible-locations/

A video demonstration of the Hard Time Attack Boss Fights by HarryNinetyFour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udNkuhz1kdI

And a video demonstration of the Hard Time Attack Boss Fights by PS4Trophies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7DV3YdBh_I&list=PLJ4VW1nTAWXffz6TS3_7PoF4m4G5CJ59G

And a video of all the Shrine Locations by GamerForEterinty:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGTbO6kKWBs

A Time Trials and Items Guide by Phoenixgaming1:
https://psnprofiles.com/guide/7205-shadow-of-the-colossus-time-trials-items-guide

Finally, here's a basic Trophy List:
https://www.exophase.com/game/shadow-of-the-colossus-psn/trophies/

Ico Trophy Guide

Ico Trophy Guide. Difficulty: ** Ā A puzzle-platforming adventure and a revamp of the original 2001 PlayStation 2 title. A short game, with the majority of the trophies being easy to unlock. The speed run however, can be a real challenge.

Game Name Difficulty Trophies Developer Country Bronze Silver Gold Online DLC
Ico ** 16 Team Ico Japan 2 4 9 0 0

Ico

Ico is a puzzle-platformer with adventure elements, first released on the PlayStation 2 in 2001. The game was remastered in HD with trophy support for the PlayStation 3 in 2011 as part of the Team Ico Collection, which included Shadow of the Colossus. In third-person with fixed cameras, players control the protagonist Ico as he jumps, climbs, push, and pull objects to solve puzzles and progress through the game, while aiding NPC Yorda.

Ico is a horned boy who was captured and locked in a stone coffin, with the purpose of being sacrificed. After making his escape, he meets a girl named Yorda, and the two attempt to make their way through the castle, while avoiding shadow-like creatures.

Ico on the PlayStation 2 received outstanding reviews, with an average score of 92%, praised for its originality, artistic presentation, and overall fun.

This is a high 2-star rating. Nearly all of the trophies are quite easy to obtain. However, clearing the game in under 2 hours for the Castle Guide trophy is not. But with enough practice, and perhaps watching a few Youtube video demonstrations on performing the speed run, any average gamer can accomplish that trophy, and therefore the Platinum.

Including the speed run, expect either two, or most likely, three playthroughs, and roughly 12 hours of gameplay.

While it's technically possible to earn the Platinum in two playthroughs by completing the speed run on your first, we highly recommend doing this in three. The game itself is not too long, and will save you much frustration.

So, if you're taking our advice, we recommend simply playing the game from start to finish, first. During this playthrough, you'll be unlocking a number of story-related trophies. There are no collectibles to find per se, but you'll need to make a save at each save point throughout the game for the Bench Warmer trophy, which means finding all 14. Also, check out the Ico trophy guide links under our Links tab for details on the Spiked Club trophy, which is best done on your first playthrough. Finally, the Unscathed Escape trophy can be unlocked easily enough during your first playthrough as well, simply by reloading a previous save whenever you die, rather than select continue.

After finishing your first playthrough, you can load up the previous save on a New Game+, where you'll be working towards collecting the Split The Watermelon and Shining Sword trophies. Check out the Ico trophy guide links under our Links tab for more details.

Lastly, there should be only two trophies left to unlock: Express Journey and Castle Guide. Completing the game in a speed run under 2 hours will unlock both of these. This will be the most challenging aspect in the game, as there's little room for mistake. Check out some of the Youtube videos under our Links tab to study some of the shortcuts other players have taken to reach the end as quickly as possible.

p1789 has a great text-based Walkthrough here:
http://www.ign.com/faqs/2002/ico-walkthroughfaq-367442

And a text-based Walkthrough by kidalpha:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps3/632823-ico/faqs/45801

Here's a great Trophy Guide by Angelwork and honda hoe:
http://www.playstationtrophies.org/game/team-ico-collection-ico/guide/

And a detailed Trophy Guide by Asuka:
http://ps3trophies.com/forums/showwiki.php?title=PS3-Trophy-Guides:Ico-Trophy-Guide

And a Trophy Guide by Beyondthegrave07:
http://psnprofiles.com/guide/486-ICO-Trophy-Guide

wo0ter has a video demonstration of the Castle Guide trophy, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbDwPIjqxGM

And a video demonstration of the Castle Guide trophy, by sheriffbullock:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqnS8Z1z0So

Das_Kollaps has a useful list of Speed Run Time Savepoint Marks:
http://www.playstationtrophies.org/forum/ico-collection-ico/126887-speed-run-time-savepoint-marks.html

Finally, here's a basic Trophy List:
http://psnprofiles.com/trophies/1035-ICO

Shadow of the Colossus Trophy Guide

Shadow of the Colossus Trophy Guide. Difficulty: *** Ā Requires a lot of skill, patience, and a minimum of 50 hours of gameplay for the Platinum trophy.

Game Name Difficulty Trophies Developer Country Bronze Silver Gold Online DLC
Shadow of the Colossus *** 31 Team Ico Japan 18 6 6 0 0

Shadow of the Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus is an action adventure, first released on the PlayStation 2 in 2005, and revamped with trophy support for the PlayStation 3 in September 2011 as part of The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection. Players seek out and defeat various colossi by discovering their weak points and often using the environment to the player's advantage.

Taking place in a vast, unpopulated area known as Forbidden Land, the Wander is on a quest to revive a girl named Mono by defeating sixteen monolithic beings known as the colossi.

The original Shadow of the Colossus on the PlayStation 2 received critical acclaim with an average score of 92%, praised for its innovative style in both visuals and gameplay, music, and presentation.

Unlocking the Platinum in Shadow of the Colossus requires some serious skills and a whole lot of patience, hence the high 3-star rating. With the Time Attacks included, at least 5 playthroughs are required. While defeating some of the colossi in Hard Time Attack can be especially frustrating, any average gamer with enough patience and determination will be able to see it through.

Expect around 50-65 hours of gameplay, depending on your skills.

Start off by playing through on Normal difficulty, which is the only option in the beginning. During this playthrough, you needn't worry about killing all the lizards, as this feat will be easier later after acquiring the Detection Stone from the Time Attacks. But definitely try to get the other two missable trophies out of the way: Tower Of Prayer for finding and using all 25 save temples throughout the game, and Resistance for holding out on being sucked into the light for over a minute in the ending. Also, try to unlock as many of the miscellaneous trophies as you can, just to save yourself trouble later on. Finishing the game on Normal will unlock The Forbidden trophy.

Once that's finished, go through the Time Attack on Normal, where you'll need to defeat all 16 Colossi. Doing so will award you with all the 8 items necessary for unlocking the Collector trophy.

Next, start your next playthrough on Hard mode. You should now have the Lizard Detection Stone, which will make things easier to now work on unlocking the Endangered Lizards trophy. Also, use this opportunity to unlock any remaining miscellaneous trophies you may still be missing. Completing the game on Hard mode will unlock the Wander And The Forbidden trophy.

Okay, now for the really challenging part: completing the Hard Time Attack. This is the same as you'd done earlier, only now all 16 Colossi will be tougher to beat, and therefore require much more time. Be sure to check out the guides under our Links tab for tips, if you're having trouble. Doing this will unlock the Meticulous Collector trophy, which is arguable the hardest trophy in the game.

Finally, it's time to mop-up anything you're still missing. Most likely, this will include the Mighty Wander trophy for maxing out your stamina bar, and Stalwart Wander for maxing out your HP bar. Be sure to check out the Shadow of the Colossus trophy guide links under our Links tab to see what you're still missing and their requirements.

Good luck!